Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo está entre nosotros!

God reaches out to everyone personally. He knows what we need and how to meet our needs. We have no need to be afraid. God is always near. All He had to do was speak a few words in today’s Gospel and the woman was healed. God loves each of us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Every wound, manifest and secret, is known to Him.

It is hard for us to understand sometimes why tragedies occur, diseases and the like, but we believe, because God is love, that nothing can touch us that does not contribute to our good.

St. John of the Cross was a Spanish saint who experienced much personal tragedy as nearly all mystics do. Once he was imprisoned and beaten nearly to death with his guard’s shoes. He suffered a great deal, but in all of it he found God. He wrote a beautiful poem in which he imagined a dialogue with God. St. John asks God, “What is grace?’ And God replies, “Everything that happens.” 

Our lives are filled with suffering and since that is so our loving Lord turns the suffering into good. God is not the author of suffering, but He is its Master. When it comes He uses it to wake us up, or as a call to prayer, or as fertilizer for the spiritual life. 

When suffering comes we must remember that it almost always reveals that there is important work to be done. Perhaps the message is that we must take better care of ourselves or, perhaps, practice more compassion for our neighbor. Maybe the message is that there is still something deep us within subverting our joy and we need to wake up and do something about it. Whatever the case, suffering calls us to open our eyes to its cause and to whatever good the suffering calls us to do and usually that is to open up, let go, and trust in the Goodness of the Lord.

The spirit of infirmity that caused the woman’s distress brought her mysteriously into the presence of Jesus. If we open our hearts to God, then we will also find ourselves led as she was to a healing that surpasses the limitations of our minds and imaginations. We will discover the meaning behind it all and find rest in the midst of the storm. “Everything that happens is grace.”

“He laid His hands on her.” What a beautiful image! God touched her, graciously. Lovingly He embraced her.  The Lord proclaimed her to be greater than the Sabbath!  How could He who crafted the Law be bound by it? He who gave the Law broke the law for the sake of one diseased woman. Since God is love and the distillation of the entire Law is love, then there is nothing that can supersede it. Laws, Sabbaths, rites are all intermediary things, all fingers pointing at the moon. When the Moon comes near and touches the earth finger pointing is no longer necessary.

Commemorating Venerable Savva the Sanctified, St Gurias Archbishop of Kazan, Martyr Anastasius the Fuller of Salona in Dalmatia, Venerable Karion and his son Venerable Zachariah of Egypt, Venerable Nectarius of Bitolya and Mt Athos, Venerable Philotheus of Karyes Mt Athos, Monastic Martyrs of Karyes, St Crispina

RESURRECTION TROPARION—TONE 2

When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, You destroyed hell with the splendor of Your Godhead. And when from the depths You raised the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”

HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS TROPARION—TONE 4

Truly you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith, an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence; your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you. Hierarch Father Nicholas, entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

RESURRECTION KONTAKION—TONE 2

Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You, and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.

HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS KONTAKION—TONE 3

You revealed yourself, O saint, in Myra as a priest, for you fulfilled the Gospel of Christ by giving up your soul for your people, and saving the innocent from death. Therefore you are blessed as one become wise in the grace of God.

HYMN OF THE THEOTOKOS—TONE 6

Steadfast Protectress of Christians, Constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not the cry of us sinners, but in your goodness come speedily to help us who call on you in faith. Hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for you always protect those who honor you!

READERS:

This Week: Matins: Milan Radanovic Epistle: Matthew Hoover

Next Week: Matins: Nick Ressetar Epistle: Dasha Gencturk

EPISTLE: Ephesians 6:10-17

DEACON:      Let us pay attention. 

PRIEST:        Peace be unto all!

READER:      And with your spirit!

DEACON:      Wisdom.

READER:      The Prokeimenon in the Second Tone: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

CHOIR:          The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

READER: v: The Lord has chastened me sorely, but He has not given me over to death.

CHOIR: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

READER: The Lord is my strength and my song.

CHOIR: He has become my salvation.

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.

DEACON: Let us attend!

READER: Brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!

READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

АПОСТОЛ: Ефесцима 6:10-17

Ђакон:          Пазимо

Свештеник: Мир свима!

Читач:           I Духу Твоме!

Ђакон:          Премудрост

Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 2 Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.

Хор:                Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.

Читач:           Карајући покара ме Господ, али ме смрти не предаде.

Хор: Господ је снага моја и пјесма; Он ми постаде спасење.

Читач: Господ је снага моја и пјесма;

Хор: Он ми постаде спасење.

Ђакон: Премудрост

Читач: Читање посланице Светога апостола Павла Ефесцима

Ђакон: Пазимо

Читач: Браћо, А даље, браћо моја. јачајте у Господу, и у сили моћи његове. Обуците се у свеоружје Божије, да бисте се могли одржати против лукавства ђаволскога. Јер не ратујемо против крви и тијела, него против поглаварства, и власти, и господара таме овога свијета, против духова злобе у поднебесју. Зато узмите свеоружје Божије, да бисте се могли одупријети у зли дан, и одољевши свему, одржати се. Стојте, дакле, опасавши бедра своја истином и обукавши се у оклоп правде, и обувши ноге у приправност за јеванђеље мира; А изнад свега узмите штит вјере, о који ћете моћи погасити све огњене стријеле нечастивога; И кацигу спасења узмите, и мач Духа, који је ријеч Божија.

Свештеник: Мир ти читачу!

Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Нека те услиши Господ у дан жалосни, нека те заштити име Бога Јаковљевога.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Господе, помози цару и услиши нас кад Те зовемо.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Sudan, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for all of those suffering from the pandemic, for those who minister, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no race.  

LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!

Stewardship Offering Information

Date 12/11/2022

Collection: $5,494.00

Date 12/4/2022

Collection: $5,792.00

Date 11/27/2022

Collection: $785.00

December Birthdays

Laurie Brosius (Dec 1), Stephani York (Dec 2), Alex Govelovich (Dec 2), Gordana Fasnacht (Dec 4), Alexandra McFall (Dec 4), Paul Kasper (Dec 7), Alexa Healy (Dec 10), Nicholas Blitva (Dec 11), Sarah Milletics (Dec 11), Lorraine James (Dec 15), Quinn Gilroy (Dec 15), Irina Miljkovic (Dec 17), Steve Barry (Dec 17), Michael Filepas Jr (Dec 23), Carole Blitva (Dec 25)

December Anniversaries

Alex & Nicole Bazdar (Dec 11), Dori & Doug Bert (Dec 18), Lauren & Ross Spangler (Dec 21), Pharon & Christine Bertsch (Dec 27)

NATIVITY FAST

The Nativity Fast began on Monday, November 28. This means that we prepare the body to receive the Incarnate Christ Child through fasting, alms-giving and prayer. It is a time to focus upon giving alms to the poor. It is a time to focus upon offering ourselves to God’s Church. It is a time to re-dedicate ourselves to praying to God, both in Divine Services and at home. Receive the Fast with Joy!

FEAST OF ST NICHOLAS

Come celebrate our Patron, St Nicholas the Wonderworker, with His Grace our Father and Bishop +IRINEJ beginning with Festal Vespers at 6 pm tonight, Dec 18. Followed by Matins at 9 am on Monday, Dec 19 and Hierarchical Liturgy at 10 am. Followed by the cutting of Slava Kolach and a Luncheon

SPECIAL THANKS TO GOD

I want to thank all of you for the greetings and good wishes for my 82nd birthday. I left the hospital on Wednesday and couldn’t thank you all earlier. You are all in my prayers. Love you in Christ our Lord, Fr Srboljub

Bill was a very special man, we grieve our loss. We thank you all for your visits, phone calls, prayers, cards, letters, flowers, fruit-basket and your friendship. May God bless you all. Ruth Yovanovich and family.

GREETERS TEAM

Hello! Welcome to St. Nick’s! If you can say this with a smile, you are a born GREETER. Have you ever felt uncomfortable upon entering a place where no one knows you? It is not a great feeling. St. Nick’s is asking you to be a steward willing to share your warm welcome to all those who enter our beautiful church for the first or the five hundredth time. Please let Daria or Terry know that you can be that steward once every 6 weeks.

NEW ITEMS AVAILABLE IN THE DISPLAY CASE

Check out the Mother’s Club Display Case as we are getting new items in weekly. There are also new Nativity/Christmas Cards available. Check them out!

KSS 2023 DUES AND SENIORS 2023 DUES

Jovanka Shaffer and JoAnn Filepas will be seated in the church hall after Liturgy on Sundays to collect 2023 dues. Dues remain at $5 for the year.

MOTHERS CLUB 2023 DUES AND SERB CLUB 2023 DUES

Please see Nikki Lewis to pay your 2023 Mother’s Club Dues and Popadija Andreja to pay your 2023 Serb Club Dues.

LEARN CHRISTMAS CAROLS WITH THE CHOIR

Learn to sing a selection of beautiful Serbian and traditional Christmas carols in 4-part harmony. Non-choir members are invited to join the choir for 30-minute rehearsals. The choir will dedicate the last 30 minutes of weekly choir rehearsals, as well as 30 minutes on Sundays after Liturgy to rehearse Christmas carols. Rehearsal dates are: December 18, 22, 29, If interested, and/or for more information, please contact Nina Radanovic at 717-634-6170, or by email: 

[email protected]. 

SING CAROLS WITH THE CHOIR

After learning the carols, join us in singing them both on January 1st as we visit our parishioners who are shut-in or in nursing homes and then in the choir loft to sing Carols during communion and at the end of Liturgy on January 7th. If you know of anyone we should visit, please contact Nina Radanovic at 717-634-6170, or by email   at:  [email protected]. 

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9am until noon. You may call the office during these hours at (717-939-3972) or come by the office in person. Office hours will be adjusted when services are occurring during those hours.

BULLETIN DEADLINE

Bulletin Deadline is Wednesday at 11 am. Please send all bulletin requests to [email protected]. You may also call the office at (717-939-3872). 

December Charity

Very Reverend Stavrophor Srboljub Jockovich

Fund for St. Nicholas Church Ministries & those in Need

In 2010, our congregation established The Fr. Srboljub Fund as a permanent resource for special ministries and other special needs or events in our church community or with our Orthodox Christian partners in the Central PA area or the larger Orthodox Christian community. Each month we participate in the Charity Sunday program and we always give those donations to an outside charity. Through the Fr. Srboljub Fund, we have created a dynamic new way to support the special ministries of our Church community and to respond to the special needs of our Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters. We are preparing ourselves to respond to ministries and programs in areas such as feeding the hungry, youth and senior programs, library needs, gift shop resources, education and outreach initiatives, visitation efforts and unforeseen emergencies or crises. 

Please give generously to the Fr. Srboljub Fund so we may honor our long-time spiritual leader in this unique way as we grow our resources and are prepared to respond when a special need arises. God bless you and thank you for your generosity.  

MOTHERS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY

Sunday, January 15th at Gilligan’s on Eisenhower Blvd at 12 noon

Whether you are a mother, godmother, stepmother or grandmother, please join us for food and fun, and of course our traditional polyanna/white elephant gift exchange.

Please RSVP to Angie Vorkapich by Sunday, January 8th 

SOTAYA LAMB SALE

We are once again having our Christmas Fund Raising event. 

For your Christmas dinner on January 7,

let us provide you with hot Roast Lamb 

This year the lamb will be sold by the pound, for $15 per pound

Deadline to place your lamb order is Saturday, December 24.

Contact Chris Radanovic at 717-841-6794 or [email protected]

The Life of St. Nicholas,

The Wonderworker

Archbishop of Myra in Lycea

(text quoted from oca.org/feastandsaints)

Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia is famed as a great saint pleasing unto God. He was born in the city of Patara in the region of Lycia (on the south coast of the Asia Minor peninsula), and was the only son of pious parents Theophanes and Nonna, who had vowed to dedicate him to God.

As the fruit of the prayer of his childless parents, the infant Nicholas from the very day of his birth revealed to people the light of his future glory as a wonderworker. His mother, Nonna, after giving birth was immediately healed from illness. The newborn infant, while still in the baptismal font, stood on his feet three hours, without support from anyone, thereby honoring the Most Holy Trinity. Saint Nicholas from his infancy began a life of fasting, and on Wednesdays and Fridays he would not accept milk from his mother until after his parents had finished their evening prayers.

From his childhood Nicholas thrived on the study of Divine Scripture; by day he would not leave church, and by night he prayed and read books, making himself a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. Bishop Nicholas of Patara rejoiced at the spiritual success and deep piety of his nephew. He ordained him a reader, and then elevated Nicholas to the priesthood, making him his assistant and entrusting him to instruct the flock.

In serving the Lord the youth was fervent of spirit, and in his proficiency with questions of faith he was like an Elder, who aroused the wonder and deep respect of believers. Constantly at work and vivacious, in unceasing prayer, the priest Nicholas displayed great kind-heartedness towards the flock, and towards the afflicted who came to him for help, and he distributed all his inheritance to the poor.

There was a certain formerly rich inhabitant of Patara, whom Saint Nicholas saved from great sin. The man had three grown daughters, and in desperation he planned to sell their bodies so they would have money for food. The saint, learning of the man’s poverty and of his wicked intention, secretly visited him one night and threw a sack of gold through the window. With the money the man arranged an honorable marriage for his daughter. Saint Nicholas also provided gold for the other daughters, thereby saving the family from falling into spiritual destruction. In bestowing charity, Saint Nicholas always strove to do this secretly and to conceal his good deeds.

The Bishop of Patara decided to go on pilgrimage to the holy places at Jerusalem, and entrusted the guidance of his flock to Saint Nicholas, who fulfilled this obedience carefully and with love. When the bishop returned, Nicholas asked his blessing for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Along the way the saint predicted a storm would arise and threaten the ship. Saint Nicholas saw the devil get on the ship, intending to sink it and kill all the passengers. At the entreaty of the despairing pilgrims, he calmed the waves of the sea by his prayers. Through his prayer a certain sailor of the ship, who had fallen from the mast and was mortally injured was also restored to health.

When he reached the ancient city of Jerusalem and came to Golgotha, Saint Nicholas gave thanks to the Savior. He went to all the holy places, worshiping at each one. One night on Mount Sion, the closed doors of the church opened by themselves for the great pilgrim. Going round the holy places connected with the earthly service of the Son of God, Saint Nicholas decided to withdraw into the desert, but he was stopped by a divine voice urging him to return to his native country. He returned to Lycia, and yearning for a life of quietude, the saint entered into the brotherhood of a monastery named Holy Sion, which had been founded by his uncle. But the Lord again indicated another path for him, “Nicholas, this is not the vineyard where you shall bear fruit for Me. Return to the world, and glorify My Name there.” So he left Patara and went to Myra in Lycia.

Upon the death of Archbishop John, Nicholas was chosen as Bishop of Myra after one of the bishops of the Council said that a new archbishop should be revealed by God, not chosen by men. One of the elder bishops had a vision of a radiant Man, Who told him that the one who came to the church that night and was first to enter should be made archbishop. He would be named Nicholas. The bishop went to the church at night to await Nicholas. The saint, always the first to arrive at church, was stopped by the bishop. “What is your name, child?” he asked. God’s chosen one replied, “My name is Nicholas, Master, and I am your servant.”

After his consecration as archbishop, Saint Nicholas remained a great ascetic, appearing to his flock as an image of gentleness, kindness and love for people. This was particularly precious for the Lycian Church during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Bishop Nicholas, locked up in prison together with other Christians for refusing to worship idols, sustained them and exhorted them to endure the fetters, punishment and torture. The Lord preserved him unharmed. Upon the accession of Saint Constantine (May 21) as emperor, Saint Nicholas was restored to his flock, which joyfully received their guide and intercessor.

Despite his great gentleness of spirit and purity of heart, Saint Nicholas was a zealous and ardent warrior of the Church of Christ. Fighting evil spirits, the saint made the rounds of the pagan temples and shrines in the city of Myra and its surroundings, shattering the idols and turning the temples to dust.

In the year 325 Saint Nicholas was a participant in the First Ecumenical Council. This Council proclaimed the Nicean Symbol of Faith, and he stood up against the heretic Arius with the likes of Saints Sylvester the Bishop of Rome (January 2), Alexander of Alexandria (May 29), Spyridon of Trimythontos (December 12) and other Fathers of the Council.

Saint Nicholas, fired with zeal for the Lord, assailed the heretic Arius with his words, and also struck him upon the face. For this reason, he was deprived of the emblems of his episcopal rank and placed under guard. But several of the holy Fathers had the same vision, seeing the Lord Himself and the Mother of God returning to him the Gospel and omophorion. The Fathers of the Council agreed that the audacity of the saint was pleasing to God, and restored the saint to the office of bishop.

Having returned to his own diocese, the saint brought it peace and blessings, sowing the word of Truth, uprooting heresy, nourishing his flock with sound doctrine, and also providing food for their bodies.

Even during his life the saint worked many miracles. One of the greatest was the deliverance from death of three men unjustly condemned by the Governor, who had been bribed. The saint boldly went up to the executioner and took his sword, already suspended over the heads of the condemned. The Governor, denounced by Saint Nicholas for his wrong doing, repented and begged for forgiveness.

Witnessing this remarkable event were three military officers, who were sent to Phrygia by the emperor Constantine to put down a rebellion. They did not suspect that soon they would also be compelled to seek the intercession of Saint Nicholas. Evil men slandered them before the emperor, and the officers were sentenced to death. Appearing to Saint Constantine in a dream, Saint Nicholas called on him to overturn the unjust sentence of the military officers.

He worked many other miracles, and struggled many long years at his labor. Through the prayers of the saint, the city of Myra was rescued from a terrible famine. He appeared to a certain Italian merchant and left him three gold pieces as a pledge of payment. He requested him to sail to Myra and deliver grain there. More than once, the saint saved those drowning in the sea, and provided release from captivity and imprisonment.

Having reached old age, Saint Nicholas peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. His venerable relics were preserved incorrupt in the local cathedral church and flowed with curative myrrh, from which many received healing. In the year 1087, his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari, where they rest even now (See May 9).

The name of the great saint of God, the hierarch and wonderworker Nicholas, a speedy helper and suppliant for all hastening to him, is famed in every corner of the earth, in many lands and among many peoples. In Russia there are a multitude of cathedrals, monasteries and churches consecrated in his name. There is, perhaps, not a single city without a church dedicated to him.

The first Russian Christian prince Askold (+ 882) was baptized in 866 by Patriarch Photius (February 6) with the name Nicholas. Over the grave of Askold, Saint Olga (July 11) built the first temple of Saint Nicholas in the Russian Church at Kiev. Primary cathedrals were dedicated to Saint Nicholas at Izborsk, Ostrov, Mozhaisk, and Zaraisk. At Novgorod the Great, one of the main churches of the city, the Nikolo-Dvorischensk church, later became a cathedral.

Famed and venerable churches and monasteries dedicated to Saint Nicholas are found at Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Toropetsa, Galich, Archangelsk, Great Ustiug, Tobolsk. Moscow had dozens of churches named for the saint, and also three monasteries in the Moscow diocese: the Nikolo-Greek (Staryi) in the Chinese-quarter, the Nikolo-Perervinsk and the Nikolo-Ugreshsk. One of the chief towers of the Kremlin was named the Nikolsk.

Many of the churches devoted to the saint were those established at market squares by Russian merchants, sea-farers and those who traveled by land, venerating the wonderworker Nicholas as a protector of all those journeying on dry land and sea. They sometimes received the name among the people of “Nicholas soaked.”

Many village churches in Russia were dedicated to the wonderworker Nicholas, venerated by peasants as a merciful intercessor before the Lord for all the people in their work. And in the Russian land Saint Nicholas did not cease his intercession. Ancient Kiev preserves the memory about the miraculous rescue of a drowning infant by the saint. The great wonderworker, hearing the grief-filled prayers of the parents for the loss of their only child, took the infant from the waters, revived him and placed him in the choir-loft of the church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) before his wonderworking icon. In the morning the infant was found safe by his thrilled parents, praising Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Many wonderworking icons of Saint Nicholas appeared in Russia and came also from other lands. There is the ancient Byzantine embordered image of the saint, brought to Moscow from Novgorod, and the large icon painted in the thirteenth century by a Novgorod master.

Two depictions of the wonderworker are especially numerous in the Russian Church: Saint Nicholas of Zaraisk, portrayed in full-length, with his right hand raised in blessing and with a Gospel (this image was brought to Ryazan in 1225 by the Byzantine Princess Eupraxia, the future wife of Prince Theodore. She perished in 1237 with her husband and infant son during the incursion of Batu); and Saint Nicholas of Mozhaisk, also in full stature, with a sword in his right hand and a city in his left. This recalls the miraculous rescue of the city of Mozhaisk from an invasion of enemies, through the prayers of the saint. It is impossible to list all the grace-filled icons of Saint Nicholas, or to enumerate all his miracles.

Saint Nicholas is the patron of travelers, and we pray to him for deliverance from floods, poverty, or any misfortunes. He has promised to help those who remember his parents, Theophanes and Nonna.

Saint Nicholas is also commemorated on May 9 (The transfer of his relics) and on July 29 (his nativity).

Troparion — Tone 4

Truly you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith,

an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence;

your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you.

Hierarch Father Nicholas,

entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 3

You revealed yourself, O saint, in Myra as a priest,

For you fulfilled the Gospel of Christ

By giving up your soul for your people,

And saving the innocent from death.

Therefore you are blessed as one

become wise in the grace of God.